ORIGIN

1964 Saab 96

This 1964 Saab 96 looks like a decently clean and straight driver, and though we’re not sure about the two tone blue over red, the auxiliary driving lights and ASI (Automotoclub Storico Italiano) certification are definite plusses. The car is said to have participated in a 2013 marathon, and it still wears certification decals and number plaques from the event. The interior looks quite complete, but it could stand a bit of tidying underhood. Find it here on Hemmings in Modena, Italy for $16k.

Comments

I currently own an original Monte Carlo that was originally a 2 stroke. Previous owner converted it to the v4. Yes, it required a few modifications, but it is quiet and faster than the 2 stroke. Saab did the same conversion in 1966.. Color is the proper Saab red. Awesome car!

The red exterior is surprisingly nice on this. Most of the cars like this I’ve seen in red are an orangey-rust red. I do think the color break should be higher up and let the raingutters on the roof delineate where the blue (or whatever color) starts. The blue ‘shoulders’ seem wrong. Very nice otherwise.

L. Lewis, Yes, the fanshaft remains but the fan itself has been deleted in favor of the electric fan add on.

You can fit a short belt that will go over just the crank pulley and the waternator, but the belt ends up running very close to the bottom of the distributor and that makes some people nervous (I’m not one of them). Those people will often just delete the cast aluminum fan and protective cage while retaining the shaft as an idler pulley. Either way works fine.

Coincidentally, I just noticed that the engine is running in these photographs. The fan that is integral with the waternator pulley is blurred. At least that’s a guarantee that it runs!

I see the “single overhead fanshaft” isn’t connected to anything. My first car was a 1965 96 with the only factory sunroof I’ve ever seen. They used to be plentiful in New England, must have had a good dealer network there. I have the factory workshop manual for these if anyone’s interested. It’s listed right now on Ebay.

@Jim Rosenthal The 95 wagon and 96 sedan started life as 2-strokes and later got the V4. The 97 is the Sonett which also had the V4.

@Twostick I drove a 95 as a young professional in the late 80’s. I met the girl I would date for the next two years because of it. The SAAB stood out in a corporate parking lot in Palo Alto (San Francisco bay area). Maybe not a bade magnet but at least a like minded magnet. She (proudly) drove a Dodge Dart with a sleepy six and push button transmission. Your room-mate is only 30 years into this experiment, it’ll work, you’ll see.

I agree that the two tone is not good in this case. Though it isn’t terribly unusual… After a rollover it is not uncommon to have almost zero damage to the body except for a dented roof. Then it gets painted with whatever is on hand at the moment. I’m not saying that is what happened here, but it could be part of the story.

Bob, you haven’t learned anything new. There is/was no such thing as a 96 “B”. The 93 had “B” and “F” body styles, differentiated mostly by the “f”ront hinged doors on the later F style.

I am guessing that the red mark at 50 kph was a reminder of the desired average speed on the rally they last participated in.

Jimmy, 7500 is fine for these engines, if you can get it to spin that fast. Generally the port timing acts like a rev limiter before you get there unless the engine has been ported. The crank isn’t the weak point exactly, but your vibration damper needs to be well balanced and in good spec to run higher than normal RPM or you risk breaking the nose off of the crank.

I agree that the exhaust looks suspect. A properly tuned exhaust is crucial to a two-stroke and we just can’t see what is going on downstream here. There would need to be three expansion chambers though, or it isn’t done even halfway correctly. Generally a three-into-one is run with a single expansion chamber.

The carb is difficult to judge as we have no way of knowing the choke size.

Don, Putting a V4 in an originally two-stroke car is generally a bad idea for three reasons. One, it completely ruins the value of said car. Two, it is not a “bolt-in” modification as the engine bay floor needs to be chopped to bits to allow for the oil pan and dual exhausts. Three, the V4 requires more cooling capacity and at least on the bullnose two-stroke cars (like this one) that is extremely difficult to obtain. On the later “eggcrate” grille cars, it is easier by far.

So to be truthful the answer is “no, it will not fit” as there is a bit of fabrication required. On the other hand, it has been done and the engine does fit between the firewall, grill, and suspension towers.

Paint the top red and put a proper exhaust on it (if this one is truly improper) and things would be much better here. As it is, this is way overpriced.

An Aston, a Toyota, a Sunbeam, and a Lancia as related stories? I love it.

STILL rather have the V4 version- I guess that’s a 97, right? Amazing how mixed up this can get even with only two numerals…

Two-tone: SAABs are so weird, really, that adding to the weirdness doesn’t surprise anyone. This looks like a nice car in good shape if you don’t mind the 2-stroke engine. The 4-stroker version is on my short list for cars I still need to own, so I guess I’m as crazy as any of us. No surprise there. We’re all bozos on this bus.

If I ever would go for a two-tone on a 96 (not likely) I’d settle for the roof and maybe the A-pillars. This looks odd, and not in a good way. Besides that it looks to be in really good shape. This is the model with the radiator mounted behind the engine, some say reliability got a lot better when SAAB later (1965) moved it to the traditional position. Wheels should have more rubber on them (height). $16K is quite steep for a non-original I think. 4-speed was an option in 1964, this should have it.

My favorite car ever– I have 2 1964 GT-850’s– and they always put a smile on your face. This one is really nice, but the motorcycle carb smaller than stock and the strange exhaust can’t be great for power. 42 hp for the single carb motor, it might have a gt crank but the 7500 rpm redline on the tach looks like it’s in the crank destruction zone. Pretty awesome in that it still has the window shade roller thing behind the grille to facilitate engine warm-up. It does have a 4 speed shifter. this car left Trollhattan with 4 wheel drum brakes. Front discs from a later v4 are bolt in swap. The lights on the front point every which way. The red lenses on the front are tail light lenses from a 93. The low profile tires are modern rubber from a Smart car. The 2 tone paint makes it stand out with all the red rally 96’s . I used to torture my friend in his 356 with my 2-stroke 96 — the Saab would easily kick the porkchops butt. Now the 356 is worth too much to drive. I bought my 96 in 1988 for $300 . I have at least $10k into complete resto that still is not done. If you have never driven a 2-stroke Saab with a freewheel, this one would be fun. Hope the seller gets all the $, it just makes mine worth more.

Very nice overall. Very small tires – they look smaller than original 155-15’s ? I didn’t know there was a 96 B. ?? Actually looks pretty tidy underhood, a little dirty perhaps ? with non-stock carb and exhaust.Also electric cooling fan. Carb and exhaust probably indicate more HP than stock. OE would have been 4-spd I think. Steering column and shifter are 4-spd style. Interior is very-very original other than the tach and temp? guage between OE temp and clock. It is an odd color combo and layout – surprised that the blue doesn’t carry down over the trunk. The red looks like it may be the OE color. Red lenses in the front signal lights seems odd. They would have been clear/white originally. Anyone know what the red at 50 KPH on speedo might be for ? Set of plugs in the glove box – either spares in case they get fouled or two sets – hotter to get it started and warmed up and a colder set for hard running. Battery kill hidden in there ?

Convincing demonstration of how livery can change your whole view of a car’s shape and proportion. In typical monotone, the 96s looked all of a piece; tight, compact, brief and tidy. Here, with roof emphasized, this one looks somehow larger, longer, less coherent. I vote for the traditional monotone. Looks to be a nice example, certainly has some chops. But the paint — no matter how you feel about it — looks really good. Pretty unmarred for a guy who’s been playing in the winter. I’m thinking it’s pricey, given the sprucing up it needs and any so-far undisclosed needs. And the import costs and fuss necessary to get it into your garage. But it would be great fun to have it there. I do love me a good 3 x 2.